Media365
Play came to an unexpected standstill on day three of the second Test in Mirpur after an earthquake rattled Dhaka on Friday. The tremors were strong enough for the on-air commentators to feel the commentary box shake, while Ireland’s players rushed out of the dressing room and waited near the boundary rope. Fans in the stands appeared unsettled for a moment, but once the situation stabilised, the match continued without further interruption. Before the dramatic pause, Ireland had shown resilience in the opening session. Despite losing two early wickets, they pushed their total to 113. Stephen Doheny and Lorcan Tucker walked in under pressure with Ireland struggling at 98 for 5, but the pair made the most of Bangladesh’s inconsistent lengths. Their partnership of 81 runs offered Ireland much-needed steadiness, right before the earthquake literally shook the ground beneath them. Day two had belonged to Bangladesh. The hosts capitalised on their strong overnight position of 340 for 5, eventually finishing with a healthy 476. Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das were the architects of the innings, putting together a crucial 123-run stand. Mushfiqur, who resumed on 99, completed his 13th Test hundred with a single and joined an elite list by scoring a century in his 100th Test match. He eventually fell for 106 to debutant Matthew Humphreys. Litton also reached three figures in commanding style, smashing a six and a four to bring up his hundred as Bangladesh tightened their grip on the contest.
